Sit. Stay. Drink. It’s a mantra St. Petersburg has been celebrating at Dog Bar for 10 years as of this month.
“Sometimes it feels like 10 decades, sometimes it feels like 10 weeks,” Co-Founder and Owner Fred Metzler laughs. “It was such a struggle in the beginning, because no one knew who we were or what we did, and after awhile it just seemed to grow organically.”
Today it’s grown into a St. Petersburg staple, one supported by a loyal village of pups and people from Tampa Bay and beyond. The 21+ venue has over 4,500 square feet of fenced-in, off-leash fun for man’s best friend.
The Dog Bar is located in the Grand Central District, affectionately known as the city’s “gayborhood.” It’s also Tampa Bay’s 1st Place Favorite Local Shopping / Entertainment District, an accolade the Dog Bar has undoubtedly helped secure. The venue is a regular feature during events like St Pete Pride and Winter Pride.
“The reason Dog Bar is a good energy place is that our only demographic is dogs,” Metzler says. “We really don’t care. We have rich and poor, gay and straight, old and young, Black and white, nobody cares. As long as you love dogs, you’re one of us.”
It’s a sentiment that’s stretched not just across the last decade but into Sarasota. Metzler opened Dog Bar Sarasota last year with business partner and fiancée Stephanie Marble, who also handles marketing and events for the original location.
“It’s beautiful and has a big, indoor off-leash space and big, outdoor off-leash space,” Metzler notes. The venue is located in Sarasota’s Rosemary District, a longtime safe space for the city’s LGBTQ+ community.
Metzler says that winning 1st place for favorite local pet-friendly venue during its 10-year milestone — like Dog Bar has the last several years — was welcome news.
“I don’t want to say it’s become a habit,” he laughs, “but it is something we look forward to every year. One of our goals going into the year is, ‘let’s not screw that one up. Let’s make sure we place there again!’
“Part of the beauty is we’ve never really tried to focus on awards,” he continues. “It’s just about doing the right thing and doing what you do because you love it — and that’s what we do best.”
Read more about the 2026 WONDER Awards here.
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